Author: colorsnews.in

Haveri (Karnataka), March 1 (IANS) The internal power tussle within the Congress-led Karnataka government will intensify and reach its final phase after the state Budget, said former Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Basavaraj Bommai while referring to the leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

“It will turn into a direct confrontation, and there will be no possibility of reconciliation. We will have to wait and see how it unfolds,” Bommai added.

Speaking to the media in Haveri, the former Chief Minister said that the people have completely lost faith in the state government.

The electorate is waiting to remove this (Congress-led state) government from power in Karnataka, he added on Saturday.

“The heat of public anger is now being felt by the Karnataka Congress MLAs. There is an atmosphere of uncertainty, and many legislators fear they may not be re-elected. Some are going abroad, while others are heading to resorts,” he said while criticising the Karnataka government.

“The Congress high command has no effective control. In the coming days, people will send them home, whether from Karnataka, Delhi, or even abroad, by taking away the reins of the state,” Bommai added.

Responding to a query about the murder of a minor boy in Shivamogga, the former Chief Minister said the incident was deeply painful.

“There are suspicions that ganja use at a young age may have played a role. The BJP had earlier warned that ganja consumption in Karnataka had reached school levels, and that has now proved true,” Bommai added.

“The Karnataka government must take strict action. If communal feelings develop among small children, how can society progress? If leaders remain busy fighting over chairs of power, how will society function?” he asked.

He accused the Karnataka government of failing not only in maintaining law and order but also in preserving social harmony.

“Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is the most senior leader of the BJP in the state. He is a towering leader who built and strengthened the BJP across Karnataka. Whatever he fought for, he implemented while in power, and thus he remains in the hearts of the people,” Bommai said, praising former Chief Minister Yediyurappa.

“Looking at his determination and enthusiasm, age is no barrier for him. He has declared that he will once again tour the state to strengthen the party and bring it back to power,” he added.

“We are all happy to build the BJP under his (B.S. Yediyurappa’s) blessings and guidance. He is an asset and a source of strength for the party, and there is nothing wrong in utilising that strength,” Bommai said.

“Yediyurappa has spent 50 years in politics and has served as the Chief Minister four times. His guidance will be necessary to respond effectively to the present Congress and to provide good governance in the coming days,” he added.

“The celebration of his 50 years of meaningful public service will serve as a prelude to political change in the 2028 Assembly elections, and we are fully prepared for that,” Bommai said.

When asked about bringing back leaders who have left the BJP through a “ghar wapsi” initiative, he added that the matter needs serious consideration.

“It will be discussed in the BJP’s core committee, and senior party leaders in Delhi will take the final decision. The party will take all necessary steps to bring the BJP back to power in 2028,” he said.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Feb 28 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the state government has taken the safety of Kannadigas residing in Middle Eastern countries seriously in view of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

In a statement, the Chief Minister said Kannadigas living in countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar are being closely monitored, and necessary steps are being taken to ensure their safety.

He said discussions have been held with the Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, and officials have been instructed to take all required measures to safeguard Kannadigas in the region.

Siddaramaiah noted that flight services in several Middle Eastern countries have been suspended due to the conflict, leaving many people stranded and unable to return to India.

He appealed to those affected to move to safer locations and strictly follow advisories issued by local authorities and Indian missions.

The Chief Minister also said he has directed officials to launch a dedicated helpline from Saturday to assist Kannadigas and their families.

He urged family members not to panic if they are unable to immediately contact their relatives, assuring that the government is actively working to ensure the safety of every Kannadiga in the affected regions.

Meanwhile, former minister B. Nagendra has informed the Chief Minister that 32 persons from Ballari are currently stranded in Dubai. Siddaramaiah said the government has taken note of the matter and is initiating necessary steps to ensure their safety and extend assistance.

It may be recalled that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held back-to-back telephone conversations with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts on Saturday, expressing India’s deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating situation in West Asia following a reported joint US–Israel strike on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions.

The diplomatic outreach comes amid heightened tensions after explosions were reported in Tehran and other locations, with Iran launching missiles towards Israel and US bases across the Gulf region.

The strikes were described by Israel as pre-emptive, while the United States termed the operation “Operation Epic Fury”, targeting Iranian military and leadership sites. The action prompted retaliatory missile launches on US-linked facilities in multiple countries.

US President Donald Trump confirmed the operations and called on Iranians to seek regime change, while Iranian officials vowed a strong response.

The escalation has triggered fears of a wider regional conflict, with international humanitarian organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, warning of a potentially dangerous chain reaction.

–IANS

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Wayanad, Feb 28 (IANS) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad and AICC General Secretary, on Saturday criticised the Centre for being “not very forthcoming” in extending financial assistance to survivors of the July 2024 landslides, even as she welcomed the pace and quality of rehabilitation work in the district.

Addressing the media during her visit, the Congress leader said she was “very happy” to see the progress on the ground and expressed satisfaction with the standard of housing being constructed.

“Looks to me like the quality of at least the house that I have seen is good. Anything that is done for those who have survived such a terrible tragedy will make us all happy. I have no adverse comment,” she said.

When asked whether the rehabilitation effort could serve as a model for the country, she said she would refrain from comparisons.

“Honestly, I haven’t seen others, so I can’t say,” she said, adding that one suggestion she had was to plant more trees in the township area.

On the involvement of various stakeholders, she observed that governments typically have greater financial resources and quicker access to permits and clearances.

“Obviously, we are all making an effort,” she said, noting that the Indian National Congress has committed to constructing 100 houses and recently launched its housing initiative in the presence of Rahul Gandhi.

She acknowledged that the party’s project took time due to the need for necessary permissions and clearances.

She also pointed out that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had constructed houses for affected families and described the rehabilitation process as a “collective effort,” appreciating the contributions of political parties as well as the government.

However, she was critical of the Centre’s response to the disaster.

“The Centre has not been very forthcoming,” she said, adding that the matter had been raised repeatedly in Parliament.

She said she had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with other MPs from Kerala to press for greater assistance.

While the demand to declare the tragedy a national disaster was not accepted, she said it was later categorised as one of “severe nature” following sustained representations.

On whether the issue could become a political plank ahead of elections, Vadra said some degree of political discussion was natural.

“If you have done something, you will talk about it. If you haven’t done anything, there is nothing to talk about,” she remarked.

Responding to questions on financial contributions, she clarified that Congress MPs opted to directly assist victims through independent housing initiatives instead of routing funds to the state government’s township project. She emphasised that the priority was to provide tangible and timely assistance to affected families.

–IANS

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Kolkata, Feb 28 (IANS) As the final voters’ list in West Bengal, prepared under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, was published on Saturday, official statistics showed that the maximum number of “under adjudication” cases are concentrated in three Bangladesh-bordering districts — Murshidabad, Malda and North 24 Parganas. Of these, Murshidabad and Malda are minority-dominated districts.

The “under adjudication” category comprises cases of “logical discrepancy” that have been referred for judicial scrutiny by officers appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for this purpose.

According to data available from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, out of around 60 lakh voters’ documents referred for judicial adjudication, the highest number is from Murshidabad district. A total of 11,01,145 cases from Murshidabad have been referred, accounting for roughly 18.35 per cent of the total cases under judicial adjudication.

In Malda district, another minority-dominated district sharing a border with Bangladesh, 8,28,127 cases have been referred for judicial adjudication. This constitutes approximately 13.80 per cent of the total cases under adjudication.

In North 24 Parganas district, which also shares a border with Bangladesh, 5,91,252 cases have been referred for judicial adjudication, accounting for around 9.85 per cent of the total cases.

Taken together, these three districts account for nearly 42 per cent of the total “under adjudication” cases in the state.

The cases under adjudication are currently being examined by over 500 judicial officers appointed by the ECI in compliance with directions of the Supreme Court. Depending on the progress of the adjudication process, a supplementary list will be published in due course. Only after completion of this exercise will the final status of the electoral rolls become clear.

The final voters’ list published on Saturday showed that 61,78,245 names have been deleted so far under the SIR process.

The number of deletions is expected to rise further, as identity documents of around 60 lakh voters remain under judicial adjudication.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Feb 28 (IANS) A Karnataka woman has recorded a video of what she described as the live war situation in Bahrain after Iran reportedly launched missile attacks on US military installations.

The video, which surfaced on Saturday, has gone viral on social media platforms. The courage of the woman, Sabreen, in recording the visuals amid the tense situation has been widely praised online.

The 2.11-minute video, shot from the terrace of her residence in Bahrain, captures billowing smoke in the distance following the reported missile strikes on US military bases.

In the video, Sabreen introduces herself in Kannada, saying, “Hi all, my name is Sabreen. I am from Karnataka, India. I hail from Shiralakuppa town in Shikaripura taluk of Shivamogga district. I am sharing this because I am currently in Bahrain.”

“There is an atmosphere of fear in Bahrain. You know why — it is because of the war between America, Israel and Iran. All Kannada people residing in Bahrain are scared. Not only Kannada people, but locals and people from various parts of the world are also fearful,” she says in the video.

“I will show you the live attack by Iran on US military establishments in the Zaffeir area of Bahrain. Iran is attacking the US military base here,” Sabreen states.

“I will show you live visuals of billowing smoke from the US installations. Since morning, missiles have been fired one after another. The sounds of the bomb blasts are frightening,” she says.

“It is a little peaceful now. That is why I have come to the terrace to record this video. You can see the billowing smoke behind me. It is clearly visible. Since morning, it has been a frightening atmosphere here. We do not know where all this will lead. We can only pray to God,” Sabreen adds.

She further says that in the morning, missiles were seen moving above residential areas. “The entire sky above us was filled with missile movement,” she said.

The authenticity of the visuals and the exact locations mentioned in the video could not be independently verified.

–IANS

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